Environment & Ecology: August 2022 Current Affairs | Environment for UPSC CSE PDF Download

Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Bill 2021

Why in News?
Recently, Lok Sabha passed by voice vote the Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Bill, 2021 that seeks to provide for implementation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

What is the Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Bill 2021?

• About:
  • It was introduced in Lok Sabha by the Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change on 17^th December 2021.
  • It seeks to amend the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.
  • The Bill seeks to increase the species protected under the law and implement the CITES.
• Features:
  • CITES:
    • CITES is an international agreement between governments to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten the survival of the species.
    • The Convention requires countries to regulate the trade of all listed specimens through permits. It also seeks to regulate the possession of live animal specimens.
      (i) The Bill seeks to implement these provisions of CITES.
  • Authority:
    • The Bill provides for the central government to designate a:
    • Management Authority, which grants export or import permits for trade of specimens.
    • Every person engaging in trade of a scheduled specimen must report the details of the transaction to the Management Authority.
    • The Bill prohibits any person from modifying or removing the identification mark of the specimen.
    • Scientific Authority, which gives advice on aspects related to impact on the survival of the specimens being traded.
• Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972:
  • Currently, the Act has six schedules for specially protected plants (one), specially protected animals (four), and vermin species (one).
  • The Bill reduces the total number of schedules to four by:
    • Schedule I for species that will enjoy the highest level of protection.
    • Schedule II for species that will be subject to a lesser degree of protection.
    • Schedule III that covers plants.
    • It removes the schedule for vermin species.
    • Vermin refers to small animals that carry diseases and destroy food.
  • It inserts a new schedule for specimens listed in the Appendices under CITES (scheduled specimens).
• Invasive Alien Species:
  • It empowers the central government to regulate or prohibit the import, trade, possession or proliferation of invasive alien species.
    • Invasive alien species refers to plant or animal species which are not native to India and whose introduction may adversely impact wildlife or its habitat.
  • The central government may authorize an officer to seize and dispose of the invasive species.
• Control of Sanctuaries:
  • The Act entrusts the Chief Wildlife Warden to control, manage and maintain all sanctuaries in a state.
  • The Chief Wildlife Warden is appointed by the state government.
    • The Bill specifies that actions of the Chief Warden must be in accordance with the management plans for the sanctuary.
    • These plans will be prepared as per guidelines of the central government, and as approved by the Chief Warden.
    • For sanctuaries falling under special areas, the management plan must be prepared after due consultation with the Gram Sabha concerned.
    • Special areas include a Scheduled Area or areas where the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 is applicable.
    • Scheduled Areas are economically backward areas with a predominantly tribal population, notified under the Fifth Schedule to the Constitution.
• Conservation Reserve:
  • State governments may declare areas adjacent to national parks and sanctuaries as a conservation reserve, for protecting flora and fauna, and their habitat.
  • The Bill empowers the central government to also notify a conservation reserve.
• Penalties:
  • The WPA Act 1972 prescribes imprisonment terms and fines for violating the provisions of the Act.
    • The Bill increases these fines.

What is the Wildlife (Protection) Act,1972?

• Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 provides a legal framework for the protection of various species of wild animals and plants, the management of their habitats, and the regulation and control of trade in wild animals, plants and products made from them.
• The Act also lists schedules of plants and animals that are afforded various degrees of protection and monitoring by the government.
• The Act has been amended several times, with the last amendment having been made in 2006.

To read more information on this topic:

• Act And Policies- 1 

New e-waste rules threaten jobs

Context
Government has proposed a new framework for regulating e-waste in India that may upset informal sectors.
Direction: This is an ongoing development, just go through it once. On E-waste keep a one-page note on it handy.
E-Waste refers to all items of electronic and electrical equipment (EEE) and its parts that have been discarded by their owner as waste without the intent of re-use. India is the third-largest e-waste generator in the world after China and the USA (Global E-waste Monitor 2020).

Status of E-waste in India

• One of the fastest-growing waste streams in the world
• 95% of e-wastein India is recycled by the informal sector

What is the issue about?

• Under E-Waste Management Rules 2016, it is mandatory for the organization to comply with the Extended producer responsibility of recycling e-waste. Complying with that, most firms outsourced recycling to organizations called Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) (CPCB has registered 74 PROs)
• In May this year, Environment Ministry issued a draft notification that does away with PRO and dismantlers and vests all responsibility of recycling with authorized recyclers, only a handful of whom exist in India.
• Now, Authorized Recyclers will source a quantity of waste, recycle them and generate electronic certificates. Companies can buy these certificates equivalent to their annual committed target and thus do not have to be involved with engaging PROs and dismantlers.

Benefits:

• Streamline and standardize the system
• Introduce an Electronic management system that would track the material that went in for recycling
• Make recycling remunerative: Currently, the entire system isn’t remunerative for recyclers, who actually do the job of recycling.
• Increase reliability: The current system managed by PRO isn’t always reliable as there have been several instances of double-counting (where the same articles recycled once for one company are credited into the account for multiple companies).

Objection against the move:

• Job loss: Several PROs have mailed their objections to the Environment Ministry arguing that dismantling a fledgling system was detrimental to the future of e-waste management in India and job loss.
• Loss of investment for established PROs
• Loss of accountability: PROs provide check and balance against unauthorised recycling

Government Measures

E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2011: established Extended Producer Responsibility, but it did not set collection targets

• E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2016: A manufacturer, refurbisher, dealer, and Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) were brought under the ambit of these Rules.
  • PROs are professional organizations financed by producers with the responsibility for the collection and channelization of e-waste generated from their products to ensure environmentally sound management.
• E-Waste (Management) Amendment Rules, 2018: to further formalize sectors by channelizing the e-waste generated towards authorized dismantlers and recyclers.

NGT’s Directions on E-waste:

• Scientific enforcement of E-Waste Management Rules, 2016 as only 10% e-waste is collected currently
• Compliance with Rule 16: which requires a reduction in the use of hazardous substances in the manufacture of electrical and electronic equipment
• Constant vigil and attention to hotspots where maximum accidents are happening due to unscientific handling of e-waste.
• State pollution control boards need to identify the hotspots and to coordinate with the District Administration at local levels

Conclusion

Recent government data shows that E-waste recycling has doubled in the country from a rate of 10% in 2017-18 has risen to 20% in 2018-19. What is needed is a sound market-based incentive that encourages both demand and supply-side factors to voluntarily adopt e-waste recycling. In this respect, the e-waste clinic at Bhopal is a pilot project wherein e-waste will be collected door-to-door or could be deposited directly at the clinic in exchange for a fee, which needs to be studied for its success.

To read more information on e-waste:

• Environmental Pollution (Part - 2)

Amendments to Biodiversity Bill, 2021

Why in News?
Recently, a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) that examined the Biological Diversity (Amendment) Bill 2021, has submitted its suggestions on the Bill.

• The JPC has accepted several amendments made by the Ministry of Environment & Climate Change (MoEFCC).

What is the Biodiversity Act, 2002 (BDA)?

• About:
  • The Biological Diversity Act, 2002 (BDA) was enacted to provide for the conservation of biological diversity, sustainable use of its components, and fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the use of biological resources and traditional knowledge.
• Features:
• The Act prohibits any person or organisation from obtaining any biological resource, occurring in India for its research or commercial utilisation, without prior approval from the National Biodiversity Authority.
• The act envisaged a three-tier structure to regulate the access to biological resources:
  • The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA)
  • The State Biodiversity Boards (SBBs)
  • The Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) (at local level)
• The act stipulates all offences under it as cognizable and non-bailable.

What are the Amendments Made in Biodiversity Bill 2021?

• Boosting Indian Medicine System: It seeks to give a fillip to “Indian system of medicine”, and facilitate fast-tracking of research, patent application process, transfer of research results while utilising the biological resources available in India.
  • It seeks to empower local communities to be able to utilise resources, particularly of medicinal value, such as seeds.
  • The Bill looks to encourage farmers to increase cultivation of medicinal plants.
  • These objectives to be achieved without compromising the objectives of the United Nation Convention on Biological Diversity.
• Decriminalising Certain Provisions: It seeks to decriminalise certain provisions in the chain of biological resources.
  • These changes were brought in consonance with India’s ratification of Nagoya Protocol (Access to generic resources and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from their utilisation) in 2012.
• Allowing Foreign Investments: It also allows for foreign investment in research into biodiversity. However, this investment will necessarily have to be made through Indian companies involved in biodiversity research.
  • For foreign entities approval from the National Biodiversity Authority is necessary.
• Exempting AYUSH Practitioners: The Bill seeks to exempt registered AYUSH medical practitioners and people accessing codified traditional knowledge, among others, from giving prior intimation to State biodiversity boards for accessing biological resources for certain purposes.

What are the Major concerns Raised Against the Proposed Amendments?

• Trade over Conservation: Concerns were raised that the bill prioritised intellectual property and commercial trade at the expense of the act’s key aim of conserving biological resources.
• Threat of Bio-piracy: The exemptions to AYUSH Practitioners from giving prior intimation to State biodiversity boards would pave the way for “bio piracy”.
  • Biopiracy is the practice of exploiting naturally occurring genetic or biochemical material in commerce.
• Marginalising Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs): The proposed amendments allow for state biodiversity boards to represent BMCs to determine terms of benefit sharing.
  • Under the BDA 2002, national and state biodiversity boards are required to consult the BMCs (constituted by every local body) while taking any decision relating to the use of biological resources.
• Sidelining Local Communities: The bill also exempts cultivated medicinal plants from the purview of the Act. However, it is practically impossible to detect which plants are cultivated and which are from the wild.
  • This provision could allow large companies to evade the requirement for prior approval or share the benefit with local communities under the access and benefit-sharing provisions of the Act.

What are the Recommendations Made by the Committee?

• Conserving Biological Resources:
  • The JPC recommended that biodiversity management committees under the proposed law and indigenous communities should be empowered by clearly defining benefit claimers to be conservers of biological resources.
• Promoting Indigenous Medicine:
  • Reduce the pressure on wild medicinal plants by encouraging cultivation of medicinal plants.
  • Indian system of medicine should be encouraged by clearly defining codified traditional knowledge.
  • Promoting indigenous research and Indian companies through facilitating fast-tracking of research, patent application process, transfer of research results while utilising the biological resources available in India without compromising the objectives of Internation biodiversity convention.
• Promote Sustainable Use:
  • To develop national strategies for conservation, promotion and sustainable use of biological resources in consultation with the state government.
• Civil Offence:
  • Being a civil offence, the committee has further recommended that in contravention of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 any offence should attract civil penalties with proportionate fine structure so that the violators do not escape,
• FDI Inflows:
  • Further, there is a need to attract more foreign investments in the chain of biological resources, including research, patent, and commercial utilisation, without compromising national interest by defining foreign companies as per the Companies Act and by defining a protocol for utilisation of biological resources from India.
• Exemption of AYUSH Practitioners:
  • The committee clarified that AYUSH practitioners who have been practising indigenous medicine, including Indian systems of medicine, as a profession for sustenance and livelihood are exempt from prior intimation to state biodiversity boards to access biological resources.

To read more information on biodiversity act:
Act And Policies- 1 

Ten More Ramsar Sites Added

Context
India has added 10 more Ramsar sites, or wetlands of international importance (taking the total number of such sites to 64)
Direction: Ramsar Site is important for both Mains and Prelims. The news came a few days back, but we have covered it today.
Importance: Many of the sites are already notified under the Union government’s Wetland (Conservation and Management) Rules 2017 meaning development activities within the waterbody as well as within its zone of influence are regulated.

Being designated Ramsar Site means now the sites will be on the global map for their importance in providing ecological services.
Criteria: The site has to test across nine criteria, including its services as a habitat.
Ten sites are:

• Koonthankulam Bird Sanctuary (TN): It is the largest reserve for breeding resident and migratory water birds and an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area forming part of the Central Asian Flyway.
• Gulf of Mannar Marine Biosphere Reserve (TN): This will be the first Marine Biosphere Reserve in South & South -East Asia.
• Vembannur Wetland Complex (Kanya kumari, TN): It is an artificial human-made inland tank and part of the Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA). It forms the southernmost tip of peninsular India.
• Vellode Bird Sanctuary (TN): It lies near the temple town of Erode in the State of Tamil Nadu and is considered a paradise for bird lovers.
• Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary (TN): This also comes under the Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA).
• Udhayamarthandapuram Bird Sanctuary (TN): Notable species observed at the site are oriental darter, glossy ibis, grey Heron & Eurasian spoonbill.
• Satkosia Gorge (Odisha): The wetland is located over the Mahanadi River. Satkosia is the meeting point of the Deccan Peninsula and the Eastern Ghats (two biogeographic regions of India), thus is a very important place for biodiversity.
• Nanda Lake (Goa): The lake in South Goa had already been notified as a wetland. This will be Goa’s 1st Ramsar site.
• Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary (Karnataka): It is a bird sanctuary in the Mandya District of the state of Karnataka in India. It is the largest bird sanctuary in the state on the bank of the Kaveri River. It is designated as an Important Bird area (IBA).
• Sirpur Wetland (Madhya Pradesh): Situated on the Sirpur Lake (created by the Holkars of Indore State in the early 20th century), the wetland is situated in Indore City.

Previously, 5 new sites were added: Three wetlands (Karikili Bird Sanctuary, Pallikaranai Marsh Reserve Forest & Pichavaram Mangrove) in Tamil Nadu, one (Pala wetland) in Mizoram and one wetland (Sakhya Sagar) in Madhya Pradesh.

 Ramsar convention:

• It is an international treaty for the conservation and wise use of wetlands.
• It is named after the Iranian city of Ramsar, on the Caspian Sea, where the treaty was signed on 2 February 1971.
• Known officially as ‘the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat’ (or, more recently, just ‘the Convention on Wetlands’), it came into force in 1975.

 Montreux Record:

• Montreux Record under the Convention is a register of wetland sites on the List of Wetlands of International Importance where changes in ecological character have occurred, are occurring, or are likely to occur as a result of technological developments, pollution or other human interference.
• It is maintained as part of the Ramsar List.

To read more information on Ramsar Sites:
International Environmental Convention (Part - 2) 

Peninsular Rock Agama 

Why in News?
Recently, a study has been carried out by researchers from Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru to understand several environmental factors (including urbanisation) that could affect the presence of the Peninsular Rock Agama/ South Indian Rock Agama.

What are Important Facts about Peninsular Rock Agama?

• About:
  • The Peninsular Rock Agama (Psammophilus dorsalis) which is a type of garden lizard has a strong presence in southern India.
  • This lizard is a large animal, strikingly coloured in orange and black.
  • They do not generate their own body heat, so they need to seek warmth from external sources like a warm rock or a sunny spot on the wall.
• Geography:
  • It is majorly found in India (Asia).
  • Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Bihar hosts the population of the lizard.
• Habitat:
  • It belongs to the Precocial Species.
  • Precocial species are those in which the young are relatively mature and mobile from the moment of birth or hatching.
• Protection Status:
  • IUCN Red List: Least Concern
  • CITES: N/A
  • Wildlife Protection Act 1972: N/A

What has the Study Revealed about the Lizard?

• Rock Agama can indicate which parts of the city are warming, and their numbers show how the food web is changing.
  • Lizards need to seek warmth from external sources like a warm rock or a sunny spot on the wall as they do not generate their own body heat.
• These lizards eat insects and are in turn eaten by raptors, snakes and dogs, they cannot live in places where there are no insects.
  • Insects are critical components of a healthy ecosystem as they provide many services, including pollination.
  • Hence, the presence of rocky agamas presents a good model system to understand other aspects of the ecosystem.

Loktak Lake

Why in News?
Recently, Loktak Lake Authority of Manipur recently issued a notice to remove all floating houses and fishing structures on Loktak lake.

• This has evoked a sharp reaction from the local Fishing Community & Homestay Operators.

What are the Issues?

• There is a Lack of regulation.
• There is a growing number of homestays and huts that are constructed and have put the lake at risk, and impacted the environment.
• There has been a sharp reduction in fish production and the traditional fisheries due to a major hydropower project that was started in 1983.
  • Also, there is a loss of agricultural land due to inundation and increased levels of sediments and pollutants by untreated rivers.

What do we Know About Loktak lake?

• About:
  • It’s located about 40 kilometres south of Imphal.
  • It's the largest freshwater lake in Northeast India, the pristine Loktak Lake is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Manipur. 
    • Known for its floating circular swamps, which are called phumdis in the local tongue, 
    • The lake invites tourists from far and wide for its ethereal beauty. 
    • These swamps look almost like islands and are a mass of soil, organic matter, and vegetation. 
    • The lake houses the only floating national park in the world, the Keibul Lamjao National Park, which is the last refuge of the endangered brow-antlered deer or sangai, Manipur's state animal.
    •  In addition, the lake shelters about 230 species of aquatic plants, 100 types of birds, and 400 species of fauna like barking deer, sambar, and Indian python.
  • Loktak lake was initially designated as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention in 1990.
  • Later it was also listed under the Montreux Record in 1993.

Way Forward

• As most of the floating homestay operators are educated unemployed youths, the government authority should suggest redesign and help them to make necessary changes by introducing dos and don’ts.  
• Further, there is a need for the collective responsibility of every stakeholder to contribute to its conservation and maintenance.

Illegal Mining Of Minor Minerals

Context

India has grossly underestimated the issue of illegal mining, which damages the environment and causes revenue loss.

Direction: Just go through the article once, to understand the issue. Can note a few points.

Status:

• Demand for minor minerals such as sand and gravel has crossed 60 million metric tons in India.
• While laws and monitoring have been made stringent for the mining of major minerals consequent to the unearthing of several related scams across the country, rampant and illegal mining of minor minerals continues unabated.
• The United Nations Environment Programme, in 2019, ranked India and China as the top two countries where illegal sand mining has led to sweeping environmental degradation.

 Examples: There have been numerous cases of the illegal mining of dolomite, marble and sand across the States. In Andhra Pradesh’s Konanki limestone quarries alone, 28.92 lakh metric tonnes of limestone have been illegally quarried.

Issue with the regulation of Minor Minerals

• Under different state laws: Unlike major minerals, the regulatory and administrative powers to frame rules, prescribe rates of royalty, mineral concessions, enforcement, etc. are entrusted exclusively to the State governments.
• Issue with EIA 2016: EIA was amended in 2016 which made environmental clearance mandatory for mining in areas less than five hectares, including minor minerals. The amendment also provided for the setting up of a District Environment Impact Assessment Authority (EIAA) and a District Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC).
  • However, a State-wise review of EACs and EIAAs in key industrial States such as Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, shows that these authorities review over 50 project proposals in a day and the rejection rate at the State level has been a mere 1%.
• Environmental issues: In the Yamuna riverbed in UP, increasing demand for soil has severely affected soil formation and the soil holding ability of the land, leading to a loss in marine life, an increase in flood frequency, droughts, and also degradation of water quality.
  • Such effects can also be seen in the beds of the Godavari, the Narmada and the Mahanadi basins.
  • In the Narmada basin, sand mining has reduced the population of Mahseer fish from 76% between 1963 and 2015.
• Loss to state exchequer: As per an estimate, U.P. is losing revenue from 70% of mining activities as only 30% area is legally mined.
• Poor implementation of recommendations: The report of the Oversight Committee by the National Green Tribunal (NGT), Uttar Pradesh (where illegal sand mining has created a severe hazard) has either failed or only partially complied with orders issued regarding compensation for illegal sand mining. Such lax compliance can be seen in States such as West Bengal, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh too.
• Reasons for poor compliance: A malfunction of governance due to weak institutions, a scarcity of state resources to ensure enforcement, poorly drafted regulatory provisions, inadequate monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, and excessive litigation that dampens state administrative capacity.

Conclusion

• Protecting minor minerals requires investment in production and consumption measurement and also monitoring and planning tools. To this end, technology has to be used to provide a sustainable solution e.g., Satellite imagery can be used to monitor the volume of extraction and also check the mining process.
• Recently, the NGT directed some States to use satellite imagery to monitor the volume of sand extraction and transportation from the riverbeds.  Additionally, drones, the internet of things (IoT) and blockchain technology can be leveraged to monitor mechanisms by using the Global Positioning System, radar and Radio Frequency (RF) Locator.